Is it time to replace turbos?

[jman1200]

IC's collect oil, right? We are supposed to check them and drain them every so often, I read and did that.
Catch cans are there to collect oil, right?
So, if it is normal for the IC and catch can to collect oil, why is it not normal for the turbo to have some as shown in the pic?
When so much is too much? Any other way/test to know if the turbo is bad?

 

[Johnbigdog]

I really dont have the expirience to say if that is excessive or not. My car (16 perf. Pack) with 123K on it doesn not have a lot of oil in the intake system and I do not have a catch can.

I would be curious if you went for a romp with the banks isolated if you could maybe isolate it to one turbo or the other. If you want maybe with the intake pipe off to rule out the compressor side of the intake? I would think if it's the intake side that the throttle body would soaked in oil.

 

[Shadow351]

OK, I think I have confirmed the front turbo is toast, I pulled the Cat off the rear turbo and there is 0 signs of evidence of oil on the hot side, but more importantly I gave the spindle a spin and there was absolutely 0 play in the spindle. This is my first time dealing with a turbo, so I wasn't sure if the spindle was to have any play in it. Knowing this and that the front spindle did have play in it I stuck my camera down there to get a better look while I moved it from the hot side and well...

It really didn't seem like much play when you're going by feel, but I'm pretty sure that ain't right.

 

[jman1200]

That is the evidence I was looking for. Definitely that is excessive play.

 

[Wsho]

My car I hear noise as I'm driving down a road normal I'm getting a hoowhoo sound like there's an owl underneath my hood it does it every now and then not all the time but getting more frequent now. And for the past month my car's been feeling laggy.

 

[Johnbigdog]

My car I hear noise as I'm driving down a road normal I'm getting a hoowhoo sound like there's an owl underneath my hood it does it every now and then not all the time but getting more frequent now. And for the past month my car's been feeling laggy.

That hoot could be a fault with the wastegate system, or a recirculation valve. Not necessarily a bad turbo like the o.p. has

 

[Shadow351]

Parts came in today. I did end up having to remove the oil pan to get that piece of the drain tube out that broke off inside the pan. You don't need to fully split the engine & trans to get the pan off, as the manual claims you do. I just loosened the engine to transmission bolts (not actually sure this was necessary), loosened all the A/C compressor bolts (remove the bottom stud from the oil pan, there isn't enough room to completely remove it but you just need some play between the oil pan and compressor), and remove all the oil pan bolts (don't forget the timing cover to oil pan bolts).

Anyway, tube remnant is removed and the pan is re-installed, RTV needs to cure overnight, then hopefully I can finish reassembly tomorrow (its actually later today at this point).

With the rear cat & oilpan out of the way, changing PTU fluid was a cake walk, I was able to suction out 12 oz or so, then refilled it with Valvoline Full Syn (I unfortunately don't have time to wait for Redline to be delivered, so I hope Valvoline will do the trick)

Side note: While this isn't the worst 'jack stand' repair I've done (that probably goes to replacing the clutch in the mustang), I can't wait to have a shop with a lift (buying a proper house is on my list for next year) as I'm getting tired of climbing off the ground. Now it's time for a shower, Advil PM, and bed.

 

[Shadow351]

Done, Turbo is replaced, Drove it for about 20 miles today. It did smoke for the first 5-10 but seemed to clear up after that. It's snowing & the roads are wet, so if it is still smoking, it's not describable from the mist thrown up by the tires. We'll see for sure once it dries up outside.

 

[SHOdded]

With the rear cat & oilpan out of the way, changing PTU fluid was a cake walk, I was able to suction out 12 oz or so, then refilled it with Valvoline Full Syn (I unfortunately don't have time to wait for Redline to be delivered, so I hope Valvoline will do the trick)

I liked Valvoline Full Synth when I had in the PTU in my Edge. Amsoil and Redline were the best, followed a bit behind by Valvoline. I have BG in there now, and it is currently in 3rd place, pushing Valvoline to 4th. All ranking is by feel.

All in all, good value for the money.

 

[Shadow351]

I figured it was hard to go wrong with Valvoline, It's also what I run in the 9.75 rear in my truck.

600 miles down on the SHO and so far so good, It might even be a touch peppier, but it's hard to tell for sure since I was driving the truck for a week in between.

 

[Shadow351]

Welp, seems I spoke too soon, car started smoking again today, seems worst when coming off idle and turning. I pulled the CAC lines off when I got home and there is oil in them again and I suctioned another couple oz of fluid out of the CAC (I cleaned the CAC tubing and suctioned out the CAC the best i could when I had the tubing off last weekend). Oil level was down, again, from when I fueled up Friday. Also, the car seemed to stumble/misfire at times, I assume this was it pulling this fluid from the CAC into the engine.

Now, I don't think there is any arguing that Turbo didn't need replaced, but maybe it wasn't the whole issue. Would a bad PCV valve cause oil to accumulate in the CAC (since it comes into the intake downstream of the CAC)? The right (rear) turbo seemed ok when I had everything apart, could replacing the left (front) have caused the right to fail? I'm not sure where to go from here, don't think I can even take it to a dealer, they will probably just say it needs an engine and both turbos.

 

[jman1200]

I am no expert on these engines and have not yet played around enough with it to know where is what and what is what. There was oil in the old turbo intake so besides the seals which now are new, the only source would be this port:



What goes there?

 

[Shadow351]

I believe that is where the atmospheric side of the right (rear) re-circulation (blow off) valve attaches. If oil comes out there it is from the pressurized side of the turbos.

 

[jman1200]

Right. I remember now, I removed the "vent to atmosphere" mode.

 

[Shadow351]

After suctioning out the CAC yesterday, I raised the driver's side of the car about 8" and left it that way over night and while I was at work today, and when I got home I put the dipstick back down in the CAC and there was more oil in there. Now I just need to figure out how so much oil is getting into the CAC.

I think I will start by installing a JLT catch can on the PCV and monitor it for oil build up, if it does catch a bunch of oil, I will go ahead and do the whole valve cover, oil separator, PCV Valve TSB. I've also read that some install a catch can on the breather side (line on the front bank to the atmospheric side of the turbos) incase the crankcase pressure is pushing oil out this line. Will this cause any issues/Should I install another catch can on this line as well? I figured I could just throw a cheap $30 one from amazon for this side.